Children of Kangulumira

Yesterday, on our way back from Jinja, we stopped to get pineapples and jackfruit, which is a green spiky fruit, about the size of a watermelon. It tastes kind of like bad, old banana candy and has the consistency of a stringy, chewy pineapple. I, personally, think it’s disgusting, but some people like it.

Jackfruit

When we stopped our bus to buy the pineapple and jackfruit from some guys by the side of the road, I never expected to feel that God was there with us, watching over those kids. In my last post, I talked about praying for the children like the ones I met yesterday.

Some were malnourished, which made their stomachs extremely bloated. These children weren’t like the ones I was used to seeing in the city. Instead of saying the usual, “Mzungu! Give me money!” they just wanted to be with us. Before l knew it, I was out of the bus, by the side
of the road, and standing right with the kids. Some of them were so shy they would just wave and giggle, but others were brave enough to take a picture with us. I’d never seen a child so giddy to see their little face on a camera screen. Even though all I said to the children was, “How are you?”, Or if they looked older, I would ask, “What is your name?” I felt truly blessed, just being with them. There was one girl, who looked about seven or eight, and I asked her how she was, and instead of saying, “I am fine”, she simply giggled at me. She seemed to be with this little boy, sort of protecting him, but maybe that was just her instinct because, after all, there were Mzungus around. The little boy was wearing overalls, and was carrying a beautiful bright yellow flower. After a few pictures, Jessica asked him what his name was. The first time she asked him, he said nothing, and his older “sister” giggled.

When Jessica asked him the second time, he said “Da”. “Da” was one of the children I felt most attached to. I don’t think I had ever wanted to adopt a child that I didn’t even know the name of before. Some of you know that feeling. The feeling that you just absolutely have to do something. I felt that way about “Da”. If I close my eyes, I can see his adorable face, half afraid of the Mzungu that was hugging him, and half overjoyed that his
face was on the camera screen. This may seem kind of weird, but before I left, I kissed his little head. That little boy touched my heart, and changed my life.

Below are some pictures and I hope you see the love of the Lord in those children’s faces. If I could repeat one moment of my life, it would most certainly be the moment I met “Da”. Thank you. Enjoy the pictures!